SOCIAL media app TikTok is set to lay off hundreds of staff in its content moderation and security team in London.
The move comes just as the Online Safety Act is about to come into force.
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The act requires tech companies to prevent the spread of harmful material, or be hit with hefty fines, according to the Financial Times.
An email sent to all UK staff in TikTok’s trust and safety department stated that moderation and quality assurance work might no longer be carried out at the London site.
The company said it aims to automate more of this work using artificial intelligence.
TikTok’s owner ByteDance revealed that several hundred jobs in its trust and safety team across the UK, South Asia, and South-East Asia could also be affected.
The decision is part of a worldwide reorganisation of its efforts to moderate content.
The company plans to focus its operational expertise in specific locations.
The Communication Workers Union said it expects that around 300 London-based staff in the trust and safety department will be impacted.
The news comes just weeks after the Online Safety Act introduced stricter rules, such as age checks for users who want to watch certain harmful content.
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